1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure provided herein relates generally to pomegranate extracts. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments enable oral or enteral dosage forms containing phytochemicals from pomegranate in a quantity reflecting that of the natural fruit itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
The pomegranate is acclaimed for its health benefits and for its disease-fighting antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are important because they are believed to protect the body against free radicals, the harmful molecules that can cause heart disease, premature aging, Alzheimer's disease, blindness, and a variety of cancers.
There are many kinds of antioxidants, some produced by the body and others derived from the foods we eat. When the body's natural antioxidant defenses are lowered, or greater amounts of free radicals are produced, the body becomes more dependent upon food sources of antioxidants. The consumption of phytochemical-rich diet is associated with a reduced risk of chronic human illnesses such as certain types of cancers, inflammation, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
Studies show pomegranate juice has more polyphenol antioxidants than any other drink, such as red wine, green tea, blueberry juice, cranberry juice and orange juice. Two common ways of consuming pomegranates are by eating the fleshy arils of the pomegranate fruit itself and by drinking the juice obtained from the arils.
There are studies illustrating the beneficial effects of pomegranate phytochemicals, including polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, hydrolysable tannins, etc. Hence it is desirable to gain whatever beneficial effects might be present by consuming pomegranate and its phytochemicals. The oral route is the least invasive, most convenient route for administering pomegranate phytochemicals on a routine basis. However, the pomegranate fruit is a difficult fruit to consume and certain pomegranate phytochemicals may lose their health beneficial effects by undergoing chemical reactions into less bioavailable and/or less bioactive forms during processing and storage of juices and extracts.
For example, a major polyphenol antioxidant called punicalagin can by hydrolyzed into ellagic acid. Once punicalagin hydrolyzes into ellagic acid its ability to offer antioxidant potency to the body is reduced since free ellagic acid is not as bioavailable. When punicalagins are preserved in their original unhdrolyzed and then consumed, they can be absorbed into the bloodstream, and greater health benefits can be obtained. Punicalagins are 100% water-soluble, highly bioavailable, and shown to possess a high absorption rate up to 95%. Not only do punicalagins offer antioxidant activity on their own, they can break up into smaller polyphenols that are also absorbed into the body. Punicalagins are one important component of pomegranate polyphenols, but the total composition of the polyphenols themselves is a complex mixture of numerous other components.
Predominant types of pomegranate polyphenolic compounds are hydrolyzable tannins, which are found in the peels (rind, husk, or pericarp), membranes, and piths of the fruit. Hydrolyzable tannins, including punicalagin, are susceptible to enzymatic and non-enzymatic hydrolysis. Other hydrolyzable tannins are include gallic acid and ellagic acid esters of core molecules that consist of polyols, such as sugars. During hydrolysis, gallotannins yield gallic acid and glucose while ellagitannins yield ellagic acid and glucose. The reported soluble polyphenol content in pomegranate juice varies within the limits of approximately 0.2% to approximately 1.5%, and ellagic acid was measured in commercial juices around 100 to around 3000 mg/L.
For the reasons above, many of products claiming to contain “natural pomegranate” may in fact have less concentrated key ingredients or phytochemicals that have specific health benefits. Hence there is a need to find ways to concentrate pomegranate phytochemicals, including polyphenol antioxidants such as punicalagins and its automers, in their bioavailable and bioactive.
For the reasons above, many of products claiming to contain “natural pomegranate” may in fact lack key ingredients or phytochemicals that have specific health benefits. Hence there is a need to find ways to concentrate pomegranate phytochemicals, including polyphenol antioxidants such as punicalagins and its automers, in their bioavailable and bioactive forms.
For at least the reasons described above there is a need for processes for producing an oral or enteral dosage form containing key phytochemicals from pomegranates.